1845: Texas was once an Independent State Equal to the U.S.

Story Highlights

After its independence from Mexico, the Republic of Texas was duly recognized by world powers such as France, Britain, The Russian Empire, and even by the United States.

To this day in 1845, Texas was an independent country, equal in sovereignty to the United States as well as other recognized world countries. Namely, the Republic of Texas, after its independence from Mexico, was duly recognized by world powers such as France, Britain, The Russian Empire, and even by the United States. The Republic of Texas even had an embassy in Paris, and the French Embassy was located in the Texan capital of Austin. The first and most famous president of the independent Texas was the famous Sam Houston, after whom the metropolis of Houston is called, and where NASA has a control center for space flights.

On this day in 1845, the Republic of Texas joined the United States as the 28th consecutive federal state. It lost independence, but became a significant part of the U.S., as the territorially largest of all states at that time. The former Texas president, Sam Houston, became a senator in the U.S. capital Washington, and was later also the governor of Texas.

Today, the capital of Texas is still Austin, and the state has an area larger than France, and even twice the size of Germany or Japan. It is interesting that Texas today has a higher GDP than the entire neighboring Mexico, and is by GDP close to Russia and India.